All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Manipur on Thursday for a two-day visit aimed at assessing the current situation prevailing in the state, which has persisted for 55 days.
Rahul plans to assess the ground reality and interact with various stakeholders during his visit and get a firsthand understanding of the ground situation and spread the message of peace in the violence-hit Manipur.
As per his tentative schedule, Rahul Gandhi will arrive at Imphal Airport by a charter flight at around 11 am. From there, he will proceed directly to Churachandpur by road to meet with Kuki CSO leaders and stakeholders and the displaced people residing in relief camps.
After returning from Churachandpur, he will visit different relief camps in the Bishnupur district and spend the night at Moirang, party sources said.
The following morning (Friday), he will visit various relief centres in Imphal and hold meetings with representatives from different communities, including Meetei, Meetei-Pangal and Naga at Hotel Imphal.
Before departing for the national capital in the afternoon, Rahul Gandhi is expected to engage with the media at Congress Bhawan in Imphal.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra stated that the AICC leader planned his visit after receiving security clearance from the Home Ministry.
Meghachandra further explained that due to time constraints, Rahul Gandhi would not be able to visit Moreh and Kangpokpi, which have been affected by violence during the ongoing unrest. He, however, intends to meet the displaced people from Moreh at the relief camps in Imphal, he added.
The MPCC president informed that the primary objective of Rahul Gandhi's visit is to empathise with the people of Manipur, particularly those who have been displaced and convey a message of peace.
He also clarified that currently, there are no plans for Rahul Gandhi to meet with state government representatives, the governor, or any government officials.
Addressing the press at the Congress Bhavan on Wednesday evening, former Chief Minister O Ibobi also informed that Rahul Gandhi would be visiting Imphal to assess the situation.
Gandhi had planned to come to Manipur ever since the violence started but due to security clearance, it was not possible, Ibobi said.
Previously, an AICC delegation had planned to visit the violence-affected state during the initial stages of the unrest. The trip, however, was cancelled due to lack of security coverage.
